Caitlin Wessel with the Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve Stewardship Coordinator, Katie Swanson, in front of what use to be the Mission Aransas research pier before it was destroyed during Hurricane Harvey. Image credit: Jace Tunnell.

In 2018, the Marine Debris Program received $18 million in disaster relief funding to support the removal of marine debris in areas impacted during the 2017 hurricane season. The Texas GLO received $3.8 million to tackle eight debris removal projects addressing storm debris left in waterways and along the shoreline by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Debris targeted for removal by GLO includes a derelict oil platform; derelict well infrastructure, derelict septic tanks, 5.6 miles of geotube debris exposed by Hurricane Harvey, a pier, and over 500 acres of scattered hurricane debris including household goods, building materials, personal belongings, etc.